Folding bedstead.



PATENTED JULY 5, 1904. M. BENZ. FOLDING BEDSTEAD.

APPLIGATION Hum un. 19, 1904.

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PATENTED JULY 5, 1904.

M. BENZ.

FOLDING -BEDSTEAD APPLICATION FILED JAN. 1a, 1904.

2 SHBBTSuSHEET 2A N0 MODEL.

Mmm/Erd Patented July 5, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

MAX BENZ, OF NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE.

FoLDlNe. BEDSTEAD.

i i SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. "764,414, dated July 5, 1904.

Application filed January 19,'1904. Serial No. 189,668. (No model.)

To all, when?, Ill; may concern:

Be it known that I, MAX BENZ, a citizen of 4 the United States, and a resident of Nashville,

improvement is to simplify and increase the effectiveness and ease of operation of folding beds' of the type represented by my aforesaid patent.

A further object is to provide a bedstead of this character which is both effective and reliable in use and one which may be readily manipulated with small exertion on the part of the operator.

A stillfurther object of the invention is to provide a folding bedstead which is comparatively inexpensive to manufacture and one which may be carried into` and out of position for use without noise or friction, besides possessing the capacity for long and repeated service.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all Vthe figures.

Figure 1 is a view in perspective showing my improved bedstead in its folded condition. Fig. 2 is a vertical transverse sectional view thereof, showing more clearly the position assumed by theseveral elements or members of the bedstead when the latter is folded up. Fig. 3 is a similar view to Fig. 2, showing the position assumed by the several elements or members of the bedstead when the latter is lowered to position for use; and Fig. 4 is an enlarged perspective view of a portion of the head of the bed, showing my improvement.

In the drawings the parts disclosed .in my prior patent are represented by numerals and those comprising' my improvement by letters.

While 1 have herein represented a certain preferred embodiment of myy improved folding bedstead, it will b e understood that l am not limited to the precise details thereof' in practice, since immaterial changes therein may be resorted to coming within the scope of my invention.

Specific reference being had to the accompanying drawings by the designating.` characters marked thereon, 1 represents a stationary strueture approximating an ordinary eabinet in forni, the same having a base 2, in which is preferably fitted to slide in and out a drawer 8, said base being of any desired height and having iiush with the end sections 4 thereof the side walls 5 5 of the cabinet. The rear of the cabinet may be closed at 6 for practically the full height of the structure', and supported upon the Lipper edges of the said side walls 5 5 is a cap or top piece 7, which may be either plain or of any desired ornamentation.

The foldable structure of the bedstead consists of a main section constructed of duplicate parallel side rails 11 11, to the edges 12 of which is secured a panel 13, which when the said foldable structure is in its elevated position within the cabinet serves to completely close the open front 14 of said cabinet, (see Fig. 2,) the side edges l5 of said panel (in the closed position of the bed) being fiush with the outer surfaces of the said side sections 5 of the cabinet, as shown, said panel being hinged at 15 to the upper edge of the front 15" of the base above the drawer 3. Hinged to the outer ends of said side rails 11 at 16 are the shorter parallel side rails 17 of the auxiliary or foot section of the bedstead, the outer ends of said shorter rails being eennected by a brace 18, and also connecting these rails is an additional strengtheningbraee 19.

The upper part of the base 2 of the cabinet is closed by a top piece 20, thus preventing any portion ofthe mattress or bedclothes from protruding within said base or the drawer therein, and extending across the cabinet is a cross strip or bar A, to which the supportingwires of an ordinary wire mattress 22 are connected at one end, the other end of such IOO mattress being likewise connected to another cross strip or bar 23, the ends of which are held or supported between the upper and lower sides of notches 24, formed in supporting-brackets 25, attached or secured to the inner sides of the shorter side rails 17 of the said foot-sections of the bedstead.

Hinged at 26 to the free longitudinal edge 27 of the panel 12 is a strip 28, formed at each end thereof with a supporting-leg 29 for the outer part of the structure when the latter is turned down or unfolded for use, said strip being so hinged as to be capable of being turned fiatwise against the outer side of said panel when the latter is in its upright position.`

vby a yielding device, the strong springs C being shown for that purpose. These springs are fixed to the under side of the rail A and are arranged, as shown, to draw it back when the bed is to be folded up to allow the sides of the bed to pass down into the position shown in Fig. 2. The side rails 11 are notched, as shown at D, and the castings E, which are secured at each end of the cross-bar A, project from the cross-bar sufciently to engage in said notch when the bed is unfolded and hold the parts in place, thus avoiding danger of the closing up of the bed.

From the positions and construction of the parts it will be seen that when the bed is opened or unfolded and the foot turned down, as shown in Fig. 3, the springs C will be put under tension, and as the line between the points at which the mattress ends are fixed to the cross-bars (represented, of course, in Fig. 3 by the mattress itself) passes below the pivotal point 16 there is no natural tendency for the foot to fold up, all the force of the springs being exerted to hold the end of the foot down and the bed open. There is a force, however, dueto the weights 32 and springs C, acting to tend to rotate the whole bed upwardly upon the pivots or hinges 15, This is efectually overcome by the castings being pulled out by the pulling down of the foot and engaging the notches D, as described.

In folding up the bed the foot is of course first folded over against the tension of the springs C to the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3. This movement releases the mattress from its taut condition and thus allows the springs C to contract to their normal position and pull the cross-bar A back, thus removing the castings E from the notches D and permitting the main part of the bed to be folded up. It will thus be seen that I have accomplished the purposes for which the automatic lock of my above-mentioned patent was designed in a much more simple and inexpensive manner and at the same time rendered its operation absolutely certain and automatic and not dependent upon the proper operation of several small parts.

The advantages of this invention are obvious and important. F is a board orl piece hinged to the back 6 and extending across the bed and which when lowered rests on the brackets Bl just above the sliding cross-bar A. Its purpose is to prevent the bedclothes getting down and back of the end of the mattress, and thus preventing its sliding freely.

Gr is a mirror placed upon the front of the panel 13, where it is more useful and ornamental than if placed on the back of the top, as has been usual.

For the purposeof engaging the connecting-strip 28 for the legs 29 when the bedstead is turned down or unfolded I preferably employT pivoted hooked pawls 47, mounted on the inner faces of the side rails 11, said pawls readily yielding to enable lsaid strip and legs to be turned against the sides of the said panel 13, as also shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

If desired, the spaces in which the weights work may be closed by a cover or panel, as is apparent, thereby concealing the weights from view when the bed is lowered into position for use, and it will be understood that to pack the bed for shipment or transportation the back 6, the mattress 22, and the top piece 7 are separated and the back 6 lifted out, and these parts may be so laid together as to occupy but a small space.

As before stated, I am not limited in practice to the specific construction and organization of elements herein specifically described.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to lsecure by Letters Patent- 1. A folding bed comprising a cabinet, a swinging panel, ways on the cabinet, a crossbar for holding one end of the mattress, mounted to slide in said ways, and yielding means for normally holding said cross-bar near the back of said cabinet but yielding to permit it to slide forward.

2. A folding bed comprising a cabinet, a swinging panel, ways on the cabinet, a crossbar for holding one end of the mattress, mounted to slide in said ways, means fornormally holding said cross-bar near the back of said cabinet but yielding to permit it to slide forward, and means on said cross-bar for locking the swinging panel when in open position.

3. A folding' bed comprising a cabinet, a swinging panel, ways on the cabinet, a crossbar for holding one end of the mattress, mount- IOO ed to slide in said ways, and springs connecting said cross-bar with the cabinet to normally hold the cross-bar in one position and allow it to slide in the ways.

4. A folding bed comprising a cabinet, a swinging panel, ways on the cabinet, a crossbar for holding one end of the mattress, mounted to slide in said ways, springs connecting said cross-bar with the cabinet to normally hold the cross-bar in one position and allow it to slide in the ways, and means on said crossbar for locking the swinging panel when in open position.

5. A folding bedstead comprising a swinging panel, a sliding' cross-bar for holding the mattress, and means on said cross-bar for lock- .ing said panel in open position.

mattress, means on said cross-bar for locking. i

said panel in open position, and means for protecting the said cross-bar from the bedclothes.

8'. A folding' bedstead comprising a cabinet having a swinging panel for closing the front of the same, side rails on said panel, each provided with a notch on the inner end, a pair of brackets on the inside of the back of the cabinet, a way on the inner side of each bracket, a cross-bar mounted to slide in said ways, a mattress secured at one end to said cross-bar, springs fixed to the cabinet and to said crossbar, arranged to normally hold said crossbar at the back of the Ways, projections on said crossbar, adapted to enter the notches in the side rails to hold them in open position, means for holding the mattress taut when in open position, to pullout the said cross-bar, put the springs under tension and force the said projections on the cross-bar into the notches in the side rails.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of 

